Field
The present application relates to headbands. More specifically, the present application is directed to an athletic headband with removable cooling elements.
Brief Discussion of Related Art
Intensity of exercise as well as ambient temperature/humidity can affect core body temperature, which can elevate with increased intensity as well as with increased temperature/humidity. The body's natural response is perspiring or sweating, which generally releases excess heat through the skin surface in order to cool the body.
The hypothalamus is a portion of the human brain, which is located just above the brainstem. The hypothalamus functions as a thermostat for the body. More specifically, the hypothalamus includes a number of nuclei with a variety of functions, including an anterior hypothalamic nucleus that is responsible for thermoregulation or cooling of the body. The anterior hypothalamic nucleus sets desired body temperature, such as stimulating heat production to raise blood temperature to a higher setting, or sweating to lower the blood temperature to a lower setting.
Athletic headbands come in a variety of shapes and sizes, and generally absorb and/or draw away perspiration from the body of the user during various athletic activities, which may to an extent alleviate the user's discomfort—but which does not necessarily cool the user—and thus may not provide sufficient alleviation of the user's discomfort, especially during intense exercise and/or high ambient temperature/humidity.
The head and neck are generally more sensitive to changes in body temperature than the rest of the body. Providing cooling to the head and neck (e.g., hypothalamic cooling) can provide improved cooling of the body and thus improve user's comfort, especially during and/or after intense exercise.
It is therefore desirable to provide an athletic headband that can improve cooling and comfort of the user especially during and/or after engagement in various athletic activities.